(Old Manís Root; Indian Spikenard; American Spikenard)
A leafy, airy shrub bearing small white flowers and clusters of gorgeous, dark purplish-red berries, spikenard is a woods dweller, preferring to grow in rich soil under the canopy of mature trees. The plant is perennial, native to North America. A relative of ginseng, the root has a strong, spicy taste and has been used to flavour root beer. The roots are harvested in the fall and used fresh or dried. Spikenard is considered a detoxifying herb, useful for asthma, rheumatism, and skin problems such as eczema.